Shuttle for needle looms



Jan. 8, 1935. A, B. BYREM SHUTTLE FOR NEEDLE LOOMS Filed May 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 8, 1935.

A B. BYREM SHUTTLE FOR NEEDLE Looms Filed May 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i: zontalzplane;andnpasses laiweft or -filling:thre'ad i atented Jan. 8 i935 "SHUTTLEa-EORNEEDLE LooMs .lPan, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application s, v -1o,.,1 9:,s",- Serial No. 670,340

throughzan open'twarp'.zshedllformed by two series of iiwarp' threads extending zfrom ethexfell of the.

fabric-in divergent. relation to-ceaeh'aother. The weft-needle JformsLthe filling lthreadzinto: a'loop beyond and atone side-of theropen'warpshed'and passes thee-sloop around -a:relatively fixed shuttle which i-carries:azbinderixorrselvagezthread:through the, filling loopvto1;prevent;,the:fillingifrom being pulled out of the fabric from :the :oppositea-eiige thereof during andsubsequent 'ito :the :"reverse movement ofxithey-weftsneedlei i gln theaboveinoted :patenhithe' binder shuttle-is held-v in its substantiallyffixed::position::;byiandibetween. 5a pair of relativelyzmovable ihdl'dingfielements arranged to. entera openings intth'e shuttle,: andf rom which the -;:ho lding :elements 3' are smm' mentarily released :duringrthejz :advance I01 Jfor-: ward {movementpf the weftrnee'dle, toapermitrthe passage of the filling; loop aroundrtheishuttlesaid I holding elements wbeing immediately. ir'eset ttof catchand holduthexishuttle ia'gainst i'dispiacement during, the reverse movement-of'cthev Iweftmee'dles 1, The: amo'untzof clearance'zpermissibleito permit passage of the; filling .ayarn-iaround the sshnt'tle, Withoutlosingmcontrol ofcther'shutt'le, isiso plight in thisitype of m that: when jute: or. similarly rough andmore oriless 's'haggy andmmeven yarns or threads are beingiusedisuoh assirrthe'rprodum ti0n;.,o'f upholstery-webbing, .loosei-fiberssor small 1 particles of isucha'yarns, :commonly.rreferredstoiias fiyik becomelodgedlin itheirholding ropenings of thesshuttle' and around :theisaid'irelatively mov able. holding elements which: are; adapted. Ito .enter the said openings for the purpose abovecnoted.

= Such accumulation'iofsfly; prevents the loop from sliding freely-.overtand,faroundrthe: shuttle,

between the t released holding elements 2 andisthe; shuttle. :Thus, dncmany :instances, :the? filling thread -;is pinchedwbetween' the sshuttleziand the asito prevent its-:being properly'beatiupahthe fell 5 of the fabriobytheilaytdr reed of: the 100m;

vide a shut'tle forthe type ofiloom nbove'znoted and a cradle and suitablecoop'eratingi mechanism for i: holding: th'eishuttles in itsssubstamtiallyi:fixed' position wherein delicate clearances which would .iilThis iinvention'irelatesrtoz'ne'edlleziloorns :of :the'.

iejolaims; (019139-424) becomereadily clogged with fly are'elimin'ated and wherein ipositively @aict'u'ate'd relatively moving parts are'ilikewise.eliminated,Ito prevent pinching'. sand consequent breaking lot ,the filling yarn and whereby the said filling yarn may slide free- 1y "over and around the-shuttle without being caught-or retarded by an vaecun'mlation of 'fiy :at and around the shuttle-holding points.

:Theeonstruction and operation of the' m'ech'a-' nism forming the subject of the present' inventiion will be fully disclosedhereinafter, reference being had to the 'accompanying drawings, of which: y l 1 iEigI lis a plan view oftheimproveclshuttleand cradlemechanism with sufficient of the loomand the warp therein to illustrate the operation 1 of the shuttle in accordance-withthe prineiplesof the :pre'sentinvention;

-iFig.'-2: is :a side elevation, partially in section as taken on'the.line 2- 2, "Fig. 1 and :Figs. .3 and 4 are-respectively"front and-rear end-elevations of the shuttle and cradle mechanism shown in- Figs. 1 and-2.

As illu'strated in Figs'i-l and 2; the shuttle comprises a body portion composed of -a hollowcylindrical 'barrel element one end of which is secured -an oblique conical nose piece 3-,- said{nose piece being provided with a relatively sharply pointed-end or vertex 4e'ccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the barrel' 2; In the-oppositeend 'the barrel 2-is secured a semi-lelliptical tail'piece15 which 'is provided vv'itlr1' abluntly'roun'ded end 6 disposed substantially in, axial alignment with thebarrel 2. 'The't'a'il piece 5' isadapted to be readily removed from thebarrel 2 for'thepurpose of gainingaceess to theinte'rioroftlie-shuttle in view of which thetail piece "5 is pro'v'ide'd with --'ac'ircular end 7-'of 're-' duc'e'd diametr fwhich fits *Within' the barrel 2F snuglyand provides 'ashoulder 8 adapted to abut firmly againsttheopen end!) of the hollow. barrel 2. "Secured in and extending laterally' froin the reduced neck"? ofthe tail piece 5 is -a pin II) which is arranged -'to enter a bayonet slot '11 formed' -in and at theend -of the-barrel 2, 'whereby -thenos'e piece -5 :is =firmlysecured in "the saidotherwise open 'end9 of'the barrel 2.

"-Theshuttle'l is adapted to' receive a bobbin or I spool 15 on which is wound a selvedge thread a,

.. said selve'dge thread passing-outofithe barrel fl, :The'iobjectfofithezpresentfinventioii is to::pro-..

through --:an :opening 16, and under a' ten'sion spring 1 7v..provi'ded:.at one end:with ashook. 1 8

fittingwithin an. opening lQi'fOImGd-JHI thetzbarrel' 2" of zthe shuttle 1, the: opposite end of the 1 resilientitensioniplate 17 beingssecured in placeliby:

a screw 20 threaded into a boss 21 formed on the peripheral surface of the barrel 2 and between the outer face of which and the inner surface of the tension plate 17, and encircling the screw 20, is a tension-regulating spring 22.

The shuttle 1 is adapted to be held in the relatively fixed position against longitudinal movement in either direction and against rolling or rotary .movement about its axis, wherebythe point 4 of the nose 3 is at all times maintained above and in a vertical plane substantially coincident with the axis of the shuttle 1, while the tension plate 17 is maintained in-a definite position at one side of the shuttle and the cradle mechanisms by which theshuttle is supported.

The cradle mechanism comprises a' horizontally disposed base plate 25 provided with wings 26, 26 adapted to be secured to a fixed portion 28 downwardly to form, together with the point 4.

and lower surface of the nose 3, a throat 33 for receiving the filling thread as will be hereinafter described.

' At one side of the shuttle l and extending in a general vertical direction up and around one side of the oblique conical nose 3 is a horn 35 which prevents lateral movement of the nose end of the shuttle in one direction horizontally and also functions as a guide for the filling thread, 5 as will be hereinafter described.

Lateral movement of the noseend of the shuttlev in, an opposite horizontal direction, and lateral movement of the shuttle as a whole in-said direction, is prevented by a rib 36 formed on the base plate 25 and extending along and substantially throughout the length of the barrel 2 of the shuttle l in a direction substantially parallel to the said barrel of the shuttle.

. Lateral movement ofthe tail end in the first said horizontal direction is prevented by-a lug or projection 3'7, in the present instance composed of a bent wire secured to the base plate 25 bya screw 38$ Vertical displacement of the nose end of the shuttle l is prevented by an adjustable stop 40 which, in the present instance, is in the form of a headed screw 41 threaded into an arm 42 which extends substantially parallel to and in a position:

spaced above the barrel 2 of the shuttle 1.

Rollingor rotary movement of the shuttle l is prevented by a tongue which, in-the present instance, is pivotally mounted, at one of its ends,

on a pin 44 carried by the pair of spaced parallel, and depending lugs 43'formed on the arm 42 at the opposite. end thereof from the vertical ,stop

40.: The tongue 45 extends lengthwise of the barrel of the shuttle and is inclined from its pivot end towardthe said body of the shuttle with a;

goodly portion of its length including its free end disposed in a substantially u-shaped groove or socket 59formed in the top surface of the barrel 2. x

.The, socket is formed by a pair of ribs 49,49. which toward the center of the length of the barrel 2 are substantially parallel to each other,

to receivetheitongue 45. Toward the tail end of the-shuttle the ribs 49, 49 flare outwardly asv indicated at 48, 48in Fig. 1. The ribs 49, 49, are

of the shuttle posed between the upper side of said tongue and the;lower side of the arm 42.

the tongue, however, is held out of engagement wit'h-the-base-of the socket 50 by the heel 53 of the said tongue engaging the end of the support- The free end of ing'arm 42, to permit the filling thread b to slide freely between the tongue 45 and the end and side walls and the base of the socket 50, as will be hereinafter described. of the loom by bolts 29, 29 respectively. Oneend The arm -42 is provided with a vertically extending stud 55 which passes through a. slot 56 formed in a. transversely extending arm 5'7, said stud 55.-'bei'ng threaded and provided with jam nuts 58, 58" by which the arm 42 is clamped to the arm 57 in'alignment with the shuttle l.

. The arm-5'7 is pivotally mounted at 59 on the upper end of a post 60 which projects vertically from a lateral extension'fil of the base plate 25. Secured to the post 60 is a segmental plate 62 which is provided with an opening 63 adapted to receive the lower end 64 of a spring-pressed plunger 65. .Thespring-pressed plunger 65 is slidably mounted, for vertical movement, in the arm 5'7 and in an inverted cup 66 which is secured to the'upperside of the arm 57 by screws 6'7, 67. A spring 68 encircles the plunger 65 between the base of the cup 66 and an annular flange 69 formed on the saidplunger 65. The plunger 65, above the cup 66, is provided with a head or knob '70,".by which the lower end 64 of the plunger may be drawn upwardly out of the opening 63 in the plate 62, permitting the arm 5'7 to be swung about its pivot- 59 for moving the arm 42 and tongue 45 out of their normal positions with respect. to the'shuttle 1, whereby the shuttle 1 may be readily removed from its supporting cradle.

The arm 5'7 is'adapted tobe swung in an opposite direction bya spring '71 having one end '72 secured in the post 60 and its opposite end '73 anchored in adepending lug or post '74 carried by the arm 5'7, a stop pin '75 being provided on the plate 62to prevent a swinging of the arm 57 beyond the point. at which the arm 42 is sub stantially aligned with the shuttle l.

i The weft needle of the loom, shown in Fig. '1 and indicated at 100, is in the form of a rod bent on anarc having'a radius struck from the point about which the said. needle swings in a. horizontal plane, as clearly illustrated in the above noted patent.

. Adjacent its extreme free end 99, the arcuate needle l00.is' provided .with an eye 98 through which the filling thread b passes, the said filling thread being attached to one edge of the fabric 0 and extendingthrough the open warp shed and from'ithe fell of :the fabric at. the opposite edge thereof as indicated.- at' the point 0 said thread thenextending'from the said point e to the eyelet 98, thence through an opening 9'7 in the needle 100.. ton second eyelet96 carried'thereby and from which the said thread extends to' and through a third eyelet 95 carried by the needle 100," from which the said thread extends in a horizontal plane through the open warp shed c, to aiguide-(not shown) at the bar side'of the warp. l l

In the course of weaving of the fabric 0, the weft or filling thread b, when the needle 100 is withdrawn and the point 99 thereof is disposed adjacent the opposite side of the fabric 0 from that shown in Fig. 1 of the present drawings, extends from the fell of the fabric at the said opposite side of the fabric to the eyelet 98 in the end of said needle. As the needle advances through the open warp shed the thread I) is car- 'ried into the said open warp shed from the far side thereof by the eyelet 98 of the needle 100 until the portion b of the thread assumes substantially the position at the fell of the fabric as illustrated in the present drawings and in so doing the portion b of the thread I), stretched tautly between the fell of the fabric and the eyelet 98, is swung in a horizontal plane about the point of attachment of the thread to the fabric until the portion of the thread adjacent the eyelet 98 is disposed beyond the edge of the fabric c as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Due to the horizontal plane of the needle being disposed above the horizontal axis of the shuttle 1 the portion 2) of the thread, during the said swinging action, first engages the tail 5 of the shuttle above the blunt point 6 thereof and rides up over the surface (2 of the said tail, thence into the mouth e between the upper surface of the shuttle l and the lower surfaces of the tongue 45 and the lugs 43 in which the said tongue is pivotally mounted.

Continued movementof the needle causes the thread to slide over the upper edges of the ribs l9 and under the bottom surface g of the tongue 45, thence around the end of the tongue 45 between the surface h thereof and the surface 2' of the transverse rib or abutment 47, the relatively loose mounting of the shuttle in the cradle permitting slight forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle to permit the thread to slip through between the surfaces h and i and to come to rest on the upper surface 7' of the barrel 2. The said thread then slides under the lower surface k of the vertical stop- 40, and down the upper surface 1 of the conical nose 3 of the shuttle.

As the needle assumes or approaches the position relative to the shuttle l as shown in Fig. 1, the portion 12 of the thread I) snaps over the point 4 of the nose 3 of the shuttle and drops below said point as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the said thread being then in contact with the horn 35 which bends the former straight section b of the thread into two angularly disposed sections b and b which extend respectively fromthe eye98 and point 0 of the fabric c toward and around the horn 35.

Reverse movement of the needle 100, in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, causes the portion 12 of the thread to pass into the throat 33 (see Fig. 2) between the upper surface 111. of the ear 30 and the bottom surface 11. of the nose 3, said portion of the thread sliding down and between said surfaces and between the inner surface 0 of the horn 35 and the side surface p of the nose 3, thence along and under the bottom of the shuttle between the lower surface q thereof, the upper surface 7 of the base plate 25.

and the edge surface 20 of the longitudinal rib 36 of said base plate.

The end 99 of the needle then recedes toa position within the open warp shed c and the thread is drawn from between the lower surfaceq of the shuttlel, the upper surface 1 of the base plate 25 and'the surfaces 8 and t of the rib 36 surface n of the tail 5, the said threadthen slipping over and off the upper surface 12 of the shuttle guide 37. I

In the course of travel of the thread 19 as described the said filling thread has been carried' around the selvedge thread a which extends from the shuttle 1 to the point 0 along the edge of the fabric 0, as clearly illustrated in 'Fig. 1.

Continued retractive movement of the needle 100 draws the portion of the thread shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 .down into the open warpshed to the fell of the fabric insubstantially,

parallel relation to the portion b of the thread previously laid at the fell of the fabric, or substantially so, the filling thread, 12 being wrapped or looped around the selvedge thread a as illustrated at a in Fig. l, which prevents the parallel adjacently disposed portions of the double shot of filling thread from being drawn out of the fabric.

From the above descriptiontaken in connection with the drawings, it will be quite obvious that while the shuttle is held in a substantially fixed position the mounting is such that consider able freedom is provided beween the shuttle, the cradle, and the other retaining elements which permits free easy sliding of thefilling thread around the. shuttle, and avoids the necessity of delicate adjustments, close clearances and positively actuated parts which'would easily become clogged with fly or which would pinch the thread in event of its being retarded by an accumulation of fly.

a I claim:

1. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontalplane for carrying a filling thread 'as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with. its axis substantially parallel to and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, an oblique conical nose piece atone end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried .by the needle, and means above and engaging the center of the cylindrical portion of the shuttle longitudinally and transversely thereof for preventing rolling of the shuttle in the cradle and for allowing the shuttle to rock longitudinally as the filling thread passes between the shuttle and the cradle.

2. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially- '3. In a loom provided with aweft needle operable in a horizontal plane'for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallelto and below the plane of movement of I the needle'and-loop carried thereby, an oblique conicalnose piece at-one end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane'ofthe needle, a cradle and guide 3'7 respectivelyand around the lowerv for loosely supporting the shuttle in the path'of the loop carried 'byjthe needle including an inclinedear engaging the smooth outer surface of the longer underside of the nose to holdsaid nose upwardly in the cradle and for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle. g

4. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane 'for. carrying a filling thread as a loop through and 'beyond an open warp shed inthe loom, asubstantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axissubstantially parallel torand below the plane of movement of the needle and loopcarried thereby, an'oblique conical nose piece at one end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for looselysupporting the shuttle in the path of the loop carried "by the. needle including an inclined ear engaging the smooth outerssurface of the longer underside of the nose to hold said nose upwardly in the cradle and for limiting forward longitudinal movement. of the shuttle in the cradle, and alobe on said ear bent outwardly from and disposed in divergent relation to he said underside of said nose and cooperating therewith to direct the thread under the shuttle.

5. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed inthe loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallel to and. below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, an oblique conical nose piece at one end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by "the needle, comprising a relatively flat base on which rests the cylindricalportion of the shuttle, an inclined ear projecting'from one end of said base and engaging the smooth outer surface of the longer underside of the nose of. the shuttle to hold said nose upwardly in the cradle and for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, and means for limiting longitudinal movement of the shuttle in an opposite direction in the cradle.

6. In a loom provided with a weft needle operablev in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as -a loop through and beyond an open warp'shed inthe loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallelto and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, an oblique conical nose piece at one end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, comprising a relatively flat base on which the cylindrical portion of the shuttle rests, an inclined ear projecting from one end of said base and engaging the smooth outer surface of the longer underside of thenoseof the shuttle to hold said nose upwardly in the cradle and for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, means for limiting longitudinal movement of the shuttle in an opposite direction in the cradle, and means for limiting vertical movement of the nose of said shuttle relative to the ear of the cradle.

7.;In a loom provided with a weft needle, operable in a horizontal plane for carryinga filling thread as a loop through and, beyond: an open' warp shed in theloo-m, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with 'itsaxisrsubstantially parallel to and-below the plane of movement-of the needle and loop carried thereby, a tail piece having a pointed end belowthe plane of the needle at one end .of the shuttle,anoblique conical nose piece atthe opposite end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely'supportingthe shuttle insaid'position inthe'pathof the loop carried by the needle,.com'- prising a relatively fiat base on which. the cylindrical portion of the shuttle rests, an inclined ear outer surface'of the longer underside of the nose. to hold said nose upwardly in the cradle and for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, means for limiting longitudinal movement of the shuttle in an opposite direction in the cradle, means for limiting. vertical movement of the shuttle relative to the cradle,

and means for preventing rotation of the shuttle. in the cradle.

8. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal .plane for carrying a 'filling thread as a loop through and beyond anopen warp shed in the loom, a substantiallycylindrical shuttle having oppositely pointed ends disposed respectively above and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a. cradle :lor loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, and'a resilient element disposed in fixed relation to the cradle and having one end disposed substantially at the center longitudinally and transversely of the cylindrical position of the shuttle in a socket formed in the shuttle to prevent rolling of the shuttle in the cradle while permitting free passage of the thread along the shuttle and a consequent longitudinal rocking of the shuttle inthe cradle.

'9. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable ina horizontal plane for carrying a'filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the m, a substantially cylindrical shuttle having oppositely pointed ends respectively disposed above and below the plane of movement of the needleand Io'op carried thereby, i

a cradle loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, and a resilient tongue disposedat one of its ends in fixed relation to the cradle-above the shuttle with its opposite end disposed substantie-11y at the center longitudinally and transversely of the cylindrical position-of the shuttle in a socket formed in the upper surface of the shuttle and adapted to engage the end and side walls of the socket to prevent rolling of the shuttle in the cradle and to limit longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle in one direction while permitting free passage of the thread along the shuttle and a consequent longitudinal rocking of the shuttle in the cradle in the opposite direction.

'10. In a loom providedwith a'weft needle o'perable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle having opposite pointed ends disposed respectively above and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a cradle loosely, supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the versely of the cylindrical portion of the shuttle in a socket formed in the upper surface of the 7 shuttle, means for pivotally mounting the opv10 projecting from said base-engaging the smooth posite end of saidtongue in fixed relation to the cradle, and means for resiliently: pressing: the tongue into the 1 socket for allowing-longitudinal rocking of the shuttle in the cradle andfree passage of the thread between the shuttle and the tongue while retaining the shuttle against-circular and longitudinal shifting in the'cradle.

11. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carryinga filling threadas a loop througl'r and beyond an open Warp shed in'the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle having oppositely pointed ends respectively disposedwith its axis above and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a cradle loosely supportingthe shuttle in-said position in thepath of the loop carried by theneedle, an arm'fixedly-supported above and in spaced relation to theshuttle, a resilient'tongue mounted at-one'end onsai'd' arm-with the opposite end of the tongue disposed in a socket formed in the'upper sur-face of the shuttle, and means for pivotally mounting the said arm for swinging said tongue out of said relation to the shuttle to permit removal of the shuttle from the cradle.

12. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle having oppositely pointed ends respectively disposed with its axis above and below the plane of movement of the needle and loo-p carried thereby, a cradle loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, an arm fixedly supported above and in spaced relation to the shuttle, a resilient tongue mounted at one end on said arm with the opposite end of the tongue disposed in a socket formed in the upper surface of the shuttle, means for pivotally mounting the said arm for swinging said tongue out of said relation to the shuttle to permit removal of the shuttle from the cradle, and means for retaining said arm against said pivotal movement.

13. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallel to and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a tail piece having a pointed end below the plane of the needle at one end of the shuttle, an oblique conical nose piece at the opposite end of the shuttle with its vertex above the planeof the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, comprising a relatively flat base on which said cylindrical shuttle rests, an inclined ear projecting from said base and engaged by the underside of the nose for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, a horn projecting from the base adjacent one side of the nose end of the shuttle to limit lateral movement thereof in one direction, means on said base adjacent the opposite side of said nose for limiting lateral movement thereof in the opposite direction, and a resilient retaining tongue mounted above the shuttle with a portion thereof disposed in a socket formed in the upper surface of the shuttle to prevent rolling of the shuttle in the eradle and to limit rearward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle in an opposite direc-' tion.

14. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop: through and beyondian: open warp shedxinthe loom, a substanti'ally cylindrical shuttle disposed with its :axis substantially. pars, allel to and below: the plane of movement of; the

needle-andloop carried thereby, atail piece, havcent. the'nose end oftheshuttle tolimit lateral movement thereof in i the opposite transverse die rection, a mg on saidbasevadjacent. thexsaidopposite side ofisaid tailpieceto limitlateralmovee ment thereof I in. saidv opposite transverse direc-e tion, anlinclined ear projecting from i said base to be engaged by the underside of the nose for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, and a resilient tongue mounted above the shuttle with a portion thereof disposed in a socket formed in the upper surface of the shuttle to prevent rolling of the shuttle in the cradle, to limit rearward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle and permitting free passage of the thread along and around the shuttle and between the shuttle, and the resilient tongue.

15. In a loom provided with a Weft needle operable in a horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallel to' and below the plane of movement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a tail piece having a pointed end below the plane of the needle at one end of the shuttle, an oblique conical nose piece at the opposite end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, comprising a relatively flat base on which the cylindrical shuttle rests, a rib on said base and extending longitudinally of the shuttle for preventing lateral movement of the shuttle as a whole in one transverse direction in the cradle, a horn adjacent the nose end of the shuttle to limit lateral movement thereof in theopposite transverse direction, a lug on said base adjacent the said opposite side of said tail piece to limit lateral movement thereof in said opposite transverse direction, an inclined ear projecting from said base to be engaged by the underside-of the nose for permitting free passage of the thread along and around the shuttle and between the shuttle and the resilient tongue.

16. In a loom provided with a weft needle operable in a'horizontal plane for carrying a filling thread as a loop through and beyond an open warp shed in the loom, a substantially cylindrical shuttle disposed with its axis substantially parallel toand below the plane offmovement of the needle and loop carried thereby, a tail piece having a pointed end below the plane of the needle at one end of the shuttle, an oblique conical nose piece at the opposite end of the shuttle with its vertex above the plane of the needle, a cradle for loosely supporting the shuttle in said position in the path of the loop carried by the needle, comprising a relatively flat base on which the cylindrical shuttle rests, a rib on said base and extending longitudinally of the shuttle for preventing lateral movement of the shuttle as a whole in one transverse direction in the cradle, a horn adjacent the'nose end of the shuttle to limit lateral movement thereof in the opposite transverse direction, a lug on said base adjacent the said opposite side of said tail piece to limit lateral movement thereof in said opposite transverse direction, an inclined ear projecting from said base to be engaged by the underside of the nose for limiting forward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the cradle, an abutment spaced above the nose end of the shuttle to limit .vertical movement thereof relative to said ear, a resilient tongue mounted above the shuttle with a portion thereof disposed in a socket formed in the upper surface of the shuttle to prevent rolling of the shuttle in the cradle, to limit rearward longitudinal movement of the shuttle in the eradle and permitting free passage of the thread along and around the shuttle and between the shuttle and the resilient tongue, an arm extending substantially parallel to the shuttle and supporting said abutment and said tongues at its opposite ends respectively, a second arm pivotally mounted on said baseand extending transversely to said shuttle for adjustably supporting said first arm, resilient means for swinging said second arm about its pivot to bring said abutment and tongue into operative relation to the shuttle, and means for securing said second arm in said position.

ALVA B. BYREM. 

